Autumn at Isuien Garden

One of my favorite places in Nara for viewing autumn leaves is a place in Nara Park called Isuien Garden. The only walking garden in Nara, it has been preserved since the Meiji era but dates back much further. A section of the garden originally formed the Manishu-in, a minor temple that was part of the larger Kofukuji. The gardens were restructured between 1673 and 1681 by a local wealthy merchant named Kiyosumi Dosei. A larger garden on the eastern side dates back to 1899 and was designed by local Nara businessman Seki Tojiro. The gardens are open to the public and the entrance fee is ¥900. I'm sure the garden is beautiful at other times of the year, but during autumn it is simply amazing.  Definitely worth a visit if you are in Nara during that time.